Amy Klobuchar most likely to be Joe Biden's VP pick but some say Michelle Obama is the 'magic bullet' he needs
Presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has been emphasizing on having a woman as his No.2 if he ends up winning the November general election against incumbent President Donald Trump. It was being reported that his team is zeroing in on a number of women, including former presidential candidates Kamala Harris, Amy Klobuchar and Elizabeth Warren. Party insiders think Klobuchar, a senator from Minnesota, has a fair chance to grab the post though there are also people who think Biden should try to convince former first lady Michelle Obama as his running mate.
According to a report in the New York Post, having his way cleared to grab the presidential nomination after the exit of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders from the race last week, Biden’s campaign is now focusing on the sensitive job of picking a running mate. The job is significant for a couple of reasons: No woman has ever become the US vice president and also since Biden is 77-year-old and would be the oldest president if he wins, the role of his VP could be more than key in the next four years.
“I think he’s aware that he might be picking the next president. I think people are going to be more aware of that, too,” Democratic strategist James Carville was quoted as telling the Post.
Generally, a presidential candidate tries to pick a running mate who is capable of balancing the ticket and bringing in attributes that he or she is otherwise lacking.
Strategic reasons for picking a woman VP candidate
It was speculated that Biden could prefer Massachusetts Senator Warren as a strategy to prevent Sanders’ supporters from dumping the Dems even if that saw the re-election of Trump. There was another theory that said picking a candidate from the industrial Midwest like Klobuchar could shore up the swing states that Trump had won in 2016. While those in favor of seeing Michelle as the No 2 feel she would be a magic bullet he needs to win the election. Biden himself has expressed his liking for the idea of having Michelle as the vice president.
“If they’re smart, they will beg her to do it. And there is a really strong case to be made that she should,” said a senior member of the Democratic camp. Michelle although has repeatedly shot down the idea of entering politics. Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto and New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham also feature in the list because of their potential to improve the Hispanic support for Biden.
The frontrunning names from which Biden’s deputy could eventually emerge are Klobuchar, who ended her own campaign to endorse Biden just ahead of the March 3 Super Tuesday contests. That was a game-changing moment for the former vice president as the moderate wing of the party united behind him to give a decisive boost against Sanders. According to a Senate insider, the 59-year-old Klobuchar has the standout “political skills” and she is also the favorite of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the outlet added.
Biden is expected to name a committee to vet his potential running mates this week, Associated Press cited three Democrats who talked on the internal plans on the condition of anonymity. Democratic Party insiders gave Klobuchar the odds 5-2 while Michelle got 15-1 to Harris 9-1, the NY Post said.
Among other names that are also prominent in Biden’s list of probable vice presidential picks are Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer who has shown impressive leadership during the coronavirus pandemic and Tammy Duckworth, a combat veteran who lost both her legs in the Iraq War.